Handgrips for rubber stamps



Dec. 12, 1967 w. K. MUNSON 3,357,351

HANDGRIPS FOR RUBBER STAMPS Filed March 14, 1966 .f; J. I

I 50 I 1 I /5 INVENTOR 2/ WHITNEY K. Ml/NSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,357,351 HANDGRIPS FOR RUBBER STAMPS Whitney K. Munson, 192 Comanche Drive, Oeeanport, NJ. 07757 Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,193 Claims. (Cl. 1t)14tl6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOURE A handgrip employing a tubular body portion having upper and lower intercommunicating bores, with means in the upper bore forming, at the lower end thereof, a socket, with a support and coupling rod mounted in the lower bore and having a head seated in the socket, resilient means being employed to maintain the head seated and the lower bore being flared to facilitate circumferential angular positions of the handgrip with.respect to the longitudinal axis of said rod.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Ser. No. 494,010, filed Oct. 8, 1965, now US. Patent No. 3,303,780.

This invention relates to handgrips as used in connection with rubber stamp bodies. More particularly, the invention deals with a handgrip structure incorporating means for substantial universal movement of the handgrip with respect to the stamp body or the stamp body engaging rod of the handgrip to more definitely control the printing operation, regardless of the angular position of approach of the rubber stamp to a surface to be printed.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with an assemblage of the type and kind under consideration which can be readily coupled with a conventional stamp body, so that the handgrip assemblage can be utilized with stamp bodies of various types and kinds.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a handgrip made according to my invention, with parts of the construction shown in elevation and parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a section substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view, generally similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown a handgrip assemblage 10, comprising a more or less conventional body portion 11, including an enlarged head 12, having a flattened side 13 and a reduced and slightly flared lower tubular portion 14.

The tubular portion 14 has a downwardly flared or tapered bore 15 in which is disposed a handgrip support and stamp body coupling rod 16. The rod 16 has a projecting coupling end 17, which is adapted to be secured in an aperture 18 in a stamp body 19, the body 19 having the usual lower rubber type characterizations, as wellknown in the art. At this time, it will be pointed out that the coupling end 17 may be shaped and formed to engage any type of stamp body. The present illustration is of one use only thereof.

At the upper end of the rod 16 is a rounded head 20, having a flattened key surface 21. The head 20 normally seats in a universal socket 22 opening into the upper end ice of the bore 15. The socket 22 is fashioned to form a seat for the rounded head 20, as clearly shown in FIG. 1, and this socket terminates at 23 and above 23 is a tapered bore 24 for the reception of a tapered plug 25 fitting snugly in the bore 24 and forming a check member or wall, between which and the head 20 is disposed suitable resilient means 26 which, in the construction shown, is in the form of a rubber pad. The means 26 serves to normally maintain the head 20 seated in the socket 22.

The upper portion of the body 11 includes another bore 27 opening through the upper end of the body 11, the upper end having a slightly enlarged recess portion 28 for receiving a closure head 29, constituting part of the plug 25, the head joining the plug in a central rod portion 30.

The body 11 of the handgrip can be composed of any desired material such, for example, as wood, plastics or the like, and it is preferred that the plug assemblage is made of plastics, as indicated by the sectioning, and, when in position, the plug 25 can be definitely seated in the bore 24 and the closure head 29 can be cemented or otherwise sealed in the top of the body 11 to retain the same against displacement and, in fact, the plug 25 can also be sealed in position.

Considering now FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will appear that the socket 22 has a flattened key surface 31 operating in conjunction with the key surface 21 on the head 29 to prevent rotation of the body 11 on the rod 16. In this way, the desired control of the flat surface 13 can be maintained with respect to the printed matter on the stamp body 19. This key surface will, to a small degree, check some of the universal movement of the body 11 on the rod 16. However, when the head 20 rises in the socket 22, there is appreciable freedom which will only check the universal movement to a slight degree.

In the use of the hand stamp, as the stamp is brought into engagement with a surface to be printed, if the approach is angular, the handgrip It) or the body 11 thereof will swing on the rod 16 to an angular degree, illustrated, in part, by the lower dot-dash line 32 and the upper dotdash line 32' of FIG. 1. The lower part of the tubular portion 14 only is illustrated in its depressed angular position in dotted lines. This illustrates that, while the stamp body 19 is parallel with the surface, the body 11 can be at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the rod 16 which is, of course, at right angles to or perpendicular to the body 19.

Turning now to the showing in FIG. 4 of the drawing, here a handgrip assemblage 33 is shown having a more or less conventional body 34 made somewhat shorter than the body 11, as noted in FIG. 1, the upper enlarged end of the body 34 having the flattened surface, as seen at 35.

Instead of employing the long rod 16, a short rod 16 is employed having a head 20', similar to the head 20, and a flattened key surface 21, similar to 21 and at 19' is shown part of a stamp body. Further, with the structure shown in FIG. 4, a body member 36 is attached to the lower shortened end of 34 by providing a socket 37 in its upper end receiving the lower end of 34 and to which 34 is cemented or otherwise secured.

The body member 36 is preferably formed of molded plastic material and includes, at its lower end, a bore 38, larger in diameter than the diameter of the rod 16' and at 39 is shown a rounded socket, in which the head 20' operates and at 40 is shown the resilient means such, for example, as a body of rubber to normally support the head 20' in seated position, as shown. With this structure, the lower surface 41 of the handgrip body 34 forms the check or backup wall for the resilient means 40, as all be apparent. In FIG. 4, I have shown at the lower portion thereof a dot-dash line 42 which, in combination with an upper dot-dash line 42, illustrates the angularity of the handgr'ip assemblage 33 to the rod 16, generally similar to the showing in FIG. 1 and the lower part only of the body member 36 is illustrated in its depressed angular position in dotted lines. It will be understood that the degree of depression of the handgrip body in both illustrations will govern, to some degree, the angularity of the handgrip assemblage, as well as the approach of the handgrip assemblage toward the stamp pad body 19, 19'. \Vith the structure of FIG. 4, it will be apparent that the member 36 will also include a key surface, similar to the key surface 31 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, to retain the body 34 against rotation with respect to the rod 16.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A handgrip for rubber stamps, said handgrip comprising an "elongated tubular body portion having a bore in the upper end thereof, means mounted in said bore forming a socket in the lower end of the bore, a support and coupling "rod including a head arranged and operating in said socket, the rod having a protruding coupling end, resilientmeans in said socket above said head for normal support of the head in seated position in the socket, said first named means comprising a part forming a check engaging said resilient means in limiting movement thereof in one direction, and the body portion having, at the lower end thereof, a large diameter bore encircling said rod to facilitate circumferential angular positions of the handgrip with respect to the longitudinal axis of said rod.

2. A handgrip as defined in claim 1, wherein the head of said rod and said socket have flat interengaging surfaces for keying the handgr'ip against rotation on said rod.

3. A handgrip as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower bore of said body portion is flared to compensate for angular movement of the handgrip with respect to said rod.

4. A handgrip as defined in claim 1, wherein said part comprises a tapered plug seated in a tapered part of said socket, and said plug having a head seated on the upper portion of said handgrip and closing said upper bore.

5. A handgrip for rubber stamps, said handgrip comprising an elongated tubular body portion defining an upper bore and a lower tapered bore opening into the upper bore, means mounted in the upper bore forming a socket at the base thereof, a support and coupling rod having, at one end, a head seating in said socket, the other end of the rod projecting from the lower bore and said body portion, resilient means in said socket engaging the first named means and said head in supporting the head in pressure seated position in the socket, said first named means including a part forming a closure for said upper bore, and the taper of said lower bore compensating for angular movement of the handgrip with respect to the longitudinal axis of said rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 109,792 11/1870 Zantzinger 101-406 983,153 1/1911 Lowe et a1. 101-406 2,757,407 8/1956 Kramcsak 1642 2,885,235 5/1959 Moskovitz 28787 3,023,701 3/1962 Anderson 101-405 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

F. A. WINANS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HANDGRIP FOR RUBBER STAMPS, SAID HANDGRIP COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBULAR BODY PORTION HAVING A BORE IN THE UPPER END THEREOF, MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID BORE FORMING A SOCKET IN THE LOWER END OF THE BORE, A SUPPORT AND COUPLING ROD INCLUDING A HEAD ARRANGED AND OPERATING IN SAID SOCKET, THE ROD HAVING A PROTRUDING COUPLING END RESILIENT MEANS IN SAID SOCKET ABOVE SAID HEAD FOR NORMAL SUPPORT OF THE HEAD IN SEATED POSITION IN THE SOCKET, SAID FIRST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A PART FORMING A CHECK 